European Affairs Ministers will take another step
towards consolidating the new European Integrated Maritime Policy, ensuring a
sustainable future for our oceans and seas, at an informal ministerial meeting
in Roscoff on 13 July. Ministers will discuss the recently adopted Commission
Communication on maritime governance, which presents ways to better organise
their maritime-related domestic policies linked to different issues, including
safety at sea, border surveillance, transport, the environment, research, energy
and climate change. Member States will be encouraged to develop their own
integrated maritime policies and share their experiences to bring about a real
change in the way maritime affairs are governed. The focus of this informal
ministerial meeting will also be placed on reinforcing integrated maritime
surveillance throughout Europe's vast coastal and maritime areas. Joe Borg,
Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries will be one of the key speakers
at this ministerial meeting.

"The European project is being built on solidarity and cooperation. As much
as Member States need to work together at EU level, the EU depends on its Member
States to realise its goals, and this is also true of maritime policy. The
success for this Integrated Maritime Policy will depend, therefore, on the
degree to which the integrated thinking which is at the heart of this policy
permeates into policy-making and executive action within Member States", said
Joe Borg.

Europe is surrounded by 70 000 kilometres of coastline; over two-thirds of
its borders are coastal. More than 40% of Europe's GDP is generated by coastal
regions and around 50% of the population live in coastal regions. The
sustainability of our oceans and seas is therefore a key issue for the Union as
a whole and features prominently on the European Union's agenda.

This informal ministerial meeting will discuss and debate the main challenges
of the Integrated Maritime Policy. A more coherent maritime governance is a key
priority, together with integrating maritime surveillance across sectors.
Maritime governance implies the development of a strategic vision on maritime
issues that ensures coherence between the various policies linked to the sea,
the oceans and coastal areas at all levels of management. Regarding maritime
surveillance, there is a real need to step up cooperation between the different
national administrations of Member States. A higher degree of coordination on
maritime surveillance is expected through deeper cooperation within and among
Member States' coastguard and other appropriate agencies, in close collaboration
with the specialised European agencies, such as the European Maritime Safety
Agency (EMSA), the European External Borders Agency (FRONTEX), the Community
Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA) and the European Defence Agency (EDA).

Others issues to be discussed will include fighting piracy at sea in the
framework of the recent United Nations resolution.

The issue of climate change, which is intrinsically linked to our oceans'
sustainability, should also be raised. In this context, the vulnerability of
Europe's coastal areas to the impact of rising sea levels needs to be addressed
and it is important to develop initiatives to predict, mitigate and adapt to the
effects of climate change on maritime activities, on the marine environment, and
in coastal areas and islands.

In its Guidelines for an Integrated Approach to Maritime Policy, adopted on
26 June, the Commission proposed to Member States that they should inject an
integrated approach into their domestic maritime governance, which will better
equip the EU as a whole to achieve its ambitions for preserving and exploiting
the potential of the oceans and seas in an optimized fashion. The Commission is
strongly encouraging Member States to move towards overarching maritime
governance and stakeholder consultation.

The informal ministerial meeting should take a step forward towards a
concrete and positive contribution to furthering sustainable growth in coastal
regions and on the sea. Member States' commitment towards promoting an
integrated approach within Europe, covering all sectors and activities relating
to the seas, oceans and coasts, will pave the way for success in establishing a
joint European vision for a sustainable future for the oceans and seas.

At the well known International Maritime Festival of Brest, the Commission
will have an information stand on maritime policy which will be visited by
European Affairs Ministers with Commissioner Borg on 12 July.

Adopted by the Commission in 2007, the Integrated Maritime Policy for the
EUsets out its vision for securing a sustainable future for the oceans
and seas as well as sustainable growth, quality jobs and living conditions in
coastal areas, together with a detailed Action Plan outlining an ambitious work
programme until the end of 2009.

More information:

Guidelines to Member States on an Integrated Approach to Maritime Policy:
Towards Best Practice in Maritime Governance and Stakeholder Consultation